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The New Balance RC5000 tops the charts in ultra light racing flats. Designed for speed work and racing up to 10,000 meters, this shoe includes a thin, airy midsole with strategically placed rubber underfoot for lightweight traction. The streamlined upper has a barely-there feel and a snug race day fit. In a package weighting just over 3 ounces, the RC5000 is one extreme performance tool.

Comments: Like the shoe but the contact patch came off the shoe, within 3 runs. Now the shoe has no grip to the road.From: Carl, Guam. August 12th 2014

Comments: Oh my gosh, these are by far the best road racing shoes I've ever worn. At first I was nervous about buying them because of their weight and lack of cushioning; however, if you're not particularly sensitive and are thoroughly used to neutral running shoes with a low heel-to-toe drop you should be fine. They are amazing 5k racers, I've never tried them in a 10k. For me, after wearing these in a race my legs are thoroughly sore from the lack of cushioning, but it does not me while I'm running. 10k may be pushing it, but under no circumstances would I run a half in these. You're better off finding a shoe with more cushioning. Even though NB did a great job engineering the shoe, it's traction is still lacking, but if you stay on pavement you should be fine. An important thing to remember when buying these shoes is that because of their weight and build they will wear out very quickly. You may only get a little more than a hundred miles out of these, so use them sparingly. These shoes will make that PR that seems to be just out of reach, a reality.

From: Jake, Hagerstown, MD, USA

Comments: Wow. I've taken these out on a few runs, including some track work and a decisive PR for a road 5k. Amazing shoe. Considering my size 9 is 3.1 ounces, I was extremely surprised by the smooth-as-silk transition. Perfect 5k shoe, and likely a great 10k shoe. I am tempted to try them for an upcoming half, but that may be pushing it. For the record, I am running in these as a 5'7" 135 lb midfoot striker. Cadence = 200ish.

From: Chas, Cornelius, NC

Comments: After reading some feedback on other sites I decided to get the RC5000 in half size smaller than I usually wear. I bought us 8 1/2 and im a US9. The shoe fitted perfect! Have only tried this shoe once, but it DID deliver a new 3K PB for me (10:29) I like this shoe more than the universe. This will be my racedayshoe for short distances (400m-5k)For 5k-42k i use the Adizero Hagio. Very happy with this shoe. Very light. Fits like a glov for me (when i sized down a half)I run about 70-100miles a week. Mostly in racingshoes and light trainersFrom: Espen, Oslo, Norway

Comments: i have been wearing light weight shoes for over 20 years and this is by far the best and lightest road shoe there is. i run up to 60 miles per week and i find the MRC 5000 to have great cushioning and fits like a glove on my 11.5 foot. trust me, i've tried most of the minimalist shoes out there and there is no comparison. i even wear it on dirt trails but be careful of any rocks piercing through the mesh. all in all i finally found the lightest and best shoe one market for runners that an incredible feel.From: jim, san jose, CA. U.S.A.

Premium shoes are for runners who run daily and/or run high-mileage. Premium shoes use high-end materials and the latest technology to enhance comfort.

Everyday shoes are for runners who run daily and/or run high-mileage. Everyday shoes use time-tested technologies and materials to meet the needs of consistent running.

Performance shoes are for runners who want shoes for faster paced training, such as tempo runs and interval workouts. Performance shoes are also suitable for daily training but will tend to wear faster than Everyday and Premium shoes.

Racing shoes are for runners looking for peak performance in racing 5K to marathon distances and beyond. Racing shoes are also suitable for fast-paced interval sessions. Durability is sacrificed to save weight.

Surface:

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Surface

Road shoes are designed for running on asphalt and concrete.

Road-Trail shoes are designed for running on asphalt, concrete and well-groomed, broad trails.

Hard Trail shoes are designed for running on hard, natural surfaces such as granite, sandstone, rocky terrain and hard-packed dirt.

Varied Trail shoes are designed for running on a mixture of natural surfaces from rocky, to loose dirt, to wood chips and similar.

Soft Trail shoes are designed for running on soft ground such as muddy terrain and damp, grassy fields.

RoadRoad/TrailHard TrailVaried TrailSoft Trail

Heel-Toe Offset:

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Heel-Toe Offset

Heel-Toe Offset refers to the height difference between the heel and the forefoot of the shoe. The heel is usually higher than the forefoot but is never lower than the forefoot. Some runners believe a lower offset leads to more efficient running. Traditional running shoes have 10-13mm offsets. Moving from higher to lower heel-toe offsets may require a transition period.

0mm1mm - 2mm3mm - 4mm5mm - 6mm7mm - 8mm9mm - 10mm11mm+

Stack Height:

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Stack Height

Stack height refers to how much shoe is between your foot and the ground. For this search, stack height refers to how much shoe is under your forefoot, as the heel height will be equal to or greater than the forefoot height.

Barefoot: 1-8mm. The shoe generally does not have a midsole and feels like there is no cushioning. This shoe is all about feeling the ground.

Minimal: 9-13mm. The shoe has a thin midsole but there is a lack of cushioning. Racing shoes and minimalist shoes are common here and there is a feeling of being connected to the road.

Low: 14-18mm. The shoe has a midsole and may have added cushioning technologies. Performance and trail shoes are common here and there is still a good feel for the ground.

Medium: 19-23mm. The shoe has a traditional midsole height. Everyday and Premium shoes are common here and cushioning technologies are prevalent. Feeling of the ground varies.

High: 24-29mm. The shoe has a thick midsole and extra cushioning. There is less feel for the ground and more feel of the shoe.

Maximal: 30mm plus. The shoe has an extremely thick midsole and extra cushioning. The focus is on feeling a soft shoe and not really feeling the ground.